Identification tags have been used for numerous types of animals throughout the years. The original metal clips pressed onto the ear of an animal have been replaced with more sophisticated combinations of pins which pierce a portion of the body of an animal and a tag which is affixed thereto. The tag, typically formed of a soft plastic, is provided with an indicia receiving surface connected by a socket located on the outside of the tag near one end thereof. A hole extends through the tag into the socket and a shoulder is contained therein to receive a piercing head contained on a shaft of reduced diameter.
A mechanical applicator, similar in many respects to a pair of pliers, is typically utilized to urge the piercing head through the body portion of the animal and through the hole in the large area tag. Frequently, the body piercing head is attached to a shaft which itself is mounted on a smaller indicia receiving tag. The application grips both of the panels forming parts of the tags and in a preferred manner, automatically ejects the joined elements promptly upon the completion of the piercing operation. One applicator found especially well-suited for use with the present invention is described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 638,983, filed in the name of Howe, et al. This patent application contains an extensive discussion of prior art applicators and tags.
As the extensive prior art discusses, the creation of an untended wound in a body portion of an animal provides an opportunity for later infection, irritation or expansion of the wound surface by the application of force to the installed tag. Among the steps taken in the design of tags to promote recovery by the animal from this infliction of a wound are the location of fastening parts on the sides of the tags remote from the animal so that the wound encounters only smooth surfaces and also the use of a ribbed structure which provides radial air channels to promote healing. In the latter design, it is intended to provide opportunity for air-flow to occur between the base of the shaft, or stem, extending through the body portion of the animal and the environment. Also, the use of softer more flexible materials for tags and securing devices is recognized as reducing the irritation or tearing of the wound due to forces being applied to the affixed tags. However, the structure cannot be made highly flexible since forces have to be transmitted from the applicating device along a shaft to the body piercing head and the use of highly flexible materials results in a deformation taking place during the piercing operation. As a result, there is apt to be misalignment of the piercing head with the securing device thereby creating a much larger wound than necessary.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an animal identification tag containing a body piercing member which is designed to provide improved rotation between the indicia displaying panel and the shaft containing the piercing head. In addition, the present invention is directed to the provision of a tag formed of synthetic flexible material in an integral unitary design. A further object is to provide the foregoing benefits in a structural configuration compatible with commercially available applicating devices.